


Fade Into View

by kiwihaylor



Category: Harry Styles - Fandom, Taylor Swift (Musician)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Light Angst, Post-Break Up, Reunions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-10
Updated: 2020-04-10
Packaged: 2021-02-23 09:43:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,183
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23576212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiwihaylor/pseuds/kiwihaylor
Summary: As a guest at Ed Sheeran's wedding, Harry runs into a girl he hoped, for the sake of his heart, he'd never see again. To his surprise, she's there without a plus one.
Relationships: Harry Styles/Taylor Swift
Comments: 2
Kudos: 51





	Fade Into View

He didn’t know she’d be here. Well, he had certainly hoped she would be, but he wasn’t ready to admit that he’d only come for that possibility. Sure, Ed was a friend - but Harry couldn’t deny the sharp intake of breath when he’d received the wedding invitation, knowing that it was likely Taylor would have received one as well. 

And she had. 

Here she was, no more than 20 feet away from him, and it was killing him. She was chatting to the groom himself, lips painted in her classic red and golden hair swooped into a loose bun. Tendrils of it framed her face, and he couldn’t help himself from picturing tucking it behind her ear. But he couldn’t do that any more. He hadn’t been able to do that for a long time. Taylor laughed at something Ed had said, leaning forward and clasping a hand to her chest. Her nose scrunched up slightly as she leaned back again, and Harry felt his chest tighten. He wondered if she could feel his gaze burning into her. He wasn’t sure if he wanted her to. Over the years, she’d changed, she looked healthier, and more tanned, but she was simultaneously the same 22 year old he had fallen in love with. Why did he still feel that old warmth in his chest at the simple sight of her? It had been 4 years since he had last been this close to her, 6 since he’d been able to hold her. 

Noticing the person talking beside him had paused, he dragged his eyes away from her. The girl standing beside him was looking at him expectantly, front teeth folded over her bottom lip. She sighed, running a hand through her cropped blonde hair, “She’s beautiful, I know. Makes you forget everyone else in the room.”

Inwardly, he cringed, ‘ _shit Ed, I really hope your friends know how to keep things private._ ’

Outwardly, however, Harry laughed, “She? Please, I was admiring the groom.”

The girl - Harry was sure she’d introduced herself, Layla? Lola? - laughed, “Riiiight. I’ll leave you to your pining then.”

And then he was alone.

His gaze fell back on Taylor, only this time she was looking at him. She lifted her fingers in a cautious wave. When he waved back, she smiled, genuinely, and butterflies erupted in his stomach. It made him nauseous. 

Still caught in the bliss and turmoil of their initial eye contact, he hadn’t noticed her walking towards him until she was standing by his side. If he had been looking, he would’ve seen her start with confident strides, only to slow and take smaller steps as she reached him. Truth was, she was as nervous as he was. It hadn’t even occurred to her that he would be here.

“Hi,” she said, running a hand up and down her arm, before reaching up to run it through her hair, but stopping, remembering the intricate style, “I didn’t know you’d be here.”

_Did you hope I would be?_ he thought.

“No, same with you, it’s a -“ he cleared his throat, noticing it tightening, “it’s a nice surprise though.”

She smiled again, and Harry felt his heart stop. “Yeah, yeah it is.”

“Are you here with anyone?”

Her face fell for a moment, and Harry panicked he’d overstepped the mark for a moment. He was sure she had a boyfriend - had they fallen out? The smile was back on her face in an instant, making him question if her expression even changed at all.

“No, my boyfriend couldn’t make it.” This time her face fell, and stayed that way. “I have to admit, I’m feeling a little uncomfortable being on my own while -“ she gestured her head to where Scooter Braun was standing, “is here. Do you want to maybe catch up? Get a drink? Or are you here with...?” She trailed off, eyes slightly pleading.

“No, I’m alone too.” His accent came out stronger than he anticipated, a side effect of being around her. “A drink sounds nice.” 

“Good,” she smiled again, linking her arm with his. Harry’s breath hitched at the contact, but she pretended not to notice, “to the bar then.”

One drink turned into two, which turned into three, and all of a sudden two hours had passed and they hadn’t left each other’s side. It was surprisingly easy, both of them sharing anecdotes of their time together and apart like nothing had happened between them. Taylor hadn’t mentioned Joe all night, and Harry wondered if it was deliberate.

“So” he began, “tell me if I’m overstepping the mark but -“ He was planning on asking her for a dance, for old times sake, but stopped, knowing that if he did he wouldn’t be able to carry on pretending to himself that he just wanted to be her friend.

Taylor, however, had had her curiosity piqued, “What?” she breathed, eyes narrowing but easy smile staying in place. 

Harry changed his question. “How come you’re here alone?” Her face fell, and he instantly wished he could go back and ask his initial question. 

She swallowed and sighed, before licking her lips. He tried not to look, choosing to focus on her nail tracing the rim of her glass. “We had a fight. He was meant to be coming but... well, I’m here alone.”

“Oh,” not knowing what to say, Harry fumbled, “so he didn’t follow you out into the rain like one of your songs?”

Her lips pursed. Questioning. Hurt. Why had he said that? She was opening up, why try to be funny? She moved her gaze away from his and into her lap.

“No, he didn’t. It was all remarkably unpoetic.”

“I would have. I should have.”

Her blue eyes rose to meet his again. Oh, how he used to get lost in them. How he still did.

“What?”

“I should have followed you into the rain, all them years ago. If you’d called - I was just stubborn, didn’t mean my heart wasn’t breaking too. When 1989 came out, I was gonna - gonna call you but you had Calvin and then it felt too late and I just...”

He knew he was ranting. He knew he shouldn’t have said all that. He knew he definitely, definitely shouldn’t try and kiss her. But they’d been getting on so well, and her lipstick had faded now to just a cherry red tint, and he had to. Tentatively, he leaned in. Seeing the look on her face made him stop himself, before she could. He wasn’t sure if he would survive a rejection from her. She swallowed thickly and stared at him like he’d broken her heart. Maybe he had. Harry couldn’t take it, and silently willed her to just look away. When she did, he decided that that was worse. Taylor smiled again, but this one didn’t reach her eyes, “I should go. There’s a dancefloor waiting for me to embarrass myself on.” She stood up, and Harry started to follow her, but the gentle weight of her hand on his shoulder cemented him to his seat.


End file.
